Brown Sugar Sweet Potato Pound Cake

My Grandma Hattie didn’t need fancy tools in the kitchen. Just good ingredients and a whole lot of heart.

My Brown Sugar Sweet Potato Pound Cake recipe brings together the best of Grandma Hattie’s sweet potato pie and her famous pound cake.

Because her secret to baking wasn’t just love — it was knowing which sugar made the difference. That’s The Domino Effect. ✨

🛒 Find Domino® Sugar at a grocer near your to make this legacy recipe your own. #LetsVibe

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

2 ½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour

1 ½ tsp baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

⅛ teaspoon ground ginger

Wet Ingredients

1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1 cup (200 g) Domino® Baker’s Sugar™

1 cup (220 g) Domino® Light Brown Sugar, packed

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 ½ cups (360 g) roasted sweet potato purée, cooled

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon juice

½ cup (120 g) buttermilk, room temperature

Cheesecake Drizzle

4 oz (½ block) cream cheese, softened to true room temperature

4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter, softened

¾ cup (150 g) Domino® Baker’s Sugar™

¼ cup (4 Tbsp / 60 ml) heavy cream, plus 1–2 Tbsp extra if needed

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon lemon juice

⅛ teaspoon sea salt

Candied Pecans

1 cup chopped or halved pecans

¼ cup Domino® Dark Brown Sugar, packed

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1–2 tablespoons water

⅛ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

To prevent sticking, thoroughly butter every ridge of your 10-cup fluted bundt pan. Dust lightly with flour, then tap out excess.

Pro tip: Use a pastry brush to get into all crevices.

In a medium bowl whisk together Dry Ingredients then set aside.

In a stand mixer with paddle attachment or bowl with electric hand mixer on medium (mixer setting 4-5) beat unsalted butter until creamy for about 1 minute then add Domino® Baker’s Sugar™ and Domino® Light Brown Sugar. Cream 3–4 minutes on medium/high (setting 6) until pale, fluffy, and visibly aerated.

Add eggs one at a time, beating each egg 15–20 seconds on medium/low (setting 3) before adding the next. Scrape bowl often. The mixture should stay smooth.

Mix in sweet potato purée on low speed (setting 2) until fully incorporated, followed by vanilla extract and lemon juice.

Alternate add dry ingredients and buttermilk. Dry → Buttermilk → Dry → Buttermilk → Dry. Mix on low (setting 2) only until just combined. Stop mixing as soon as flour disappears.

Fill the bundt pan by spooning batter into the pan. Do not pour aggressively, to prevent deflating batter. Once filled, tap pan firmly on counter 3–4 times to settle and release bubbles. Smooth top with spatula.

Bake at 325°F (165°C). Place in the lower-middle rack. Bake 60–75 minutes. Cake is done when: Toothpick comes out clean; Top springs back gently; Internal temp is 200–205°F (93–96°C) for absolute precision. Do NOT open the oven for the first 45 minutes to prevent sinking.

While cake is baking, in a medium bowl, beat together: Cream cheese, Butter on medium speed (setting 4-5). Beat 2–3 minutes until completely smooth and lump-free.

Add half of Domino® Baker’s Sugar™ mixing on medium (setting 4-5) until fully incorporated, followed by the second half until fully incorporated.

Stream in 2 tablespoons heavy cream first. Beat on medium/high (setting 6) for 1 minute. Check consistency: Should form thick ribbons when lifted with a spoon; Should slowly fold back into itself; Not runny, not stiff. Add additional cream 1 tablespoon at a time ONLY if needed on medium (setting 4).

Add vanilla, lemon juice and salt. Mix briefly on low (setting 2) to combine. Taste should be rich, tangy, balanced, not overly sweet.

For candied pecans, heat a nonstick skillet over medium/low heat. Add the butter and let it melt fully.

Stir in: Pecans, Domino® Dark Brown Sugar, Salt. Stir continuously.

Add 1 tablespoon water to the pan. This helps the sugar melt smoothly and glaze the nuts without graininess. Add up to 1 more tablespoon only if needed for smooth coating.

Cook 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly, until sugar melts, pecans look glossy, the syrup thickens and coats each piece. Do not walk away since pecans can burn fast.

Spread to cool. Immediately pour onto a parchment-lined plate or sheet pan. Use a fork to separate pieces before they harden. Cool fully before sprinkling on the cake.

After baking, cool in pan 10–15 minutes, no longer. Lay a cooling rack on top, invert confidently, and lift pan from cake. Let cool 60–90 minutes before glazing and topping with candied pecans.